WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT FAST FORWARD

“As I have travelled the world, I've seen the incredible strength and resilience of women everywhere, working at every level. If there was ever a doubt that our moment is now, this book dispels it. Fast Forward shows every woman how she can empower herself and her community, and why all of us will be better for it. Women are the growing force for progress in the 21st century.”—Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State

“We are all capable of great things, even world changing things, if we take inspiration from others and join together to get it done. We are witnessing an awakening to the justice of civil rights for women in our time. You can feel it is imminent, and it will change the world when it is accomplished. Here are stories of a few women who have dared to imagine the day, and worked to make it happen. Let them inspire you.”—Meryl Streep, actress and activist

“A life filled with purpose is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves -- and to others. Fast Forward shows women how to lead lives of purpose and meaning, so that they, and our world, can thrive.”—Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO, Thrive Global

“I love this book. It tells the stories of ingenious women who took the circumstances around them, created successful companies, purpose in their lives while at the same time recognizing their own power to lift other women up, supporting both economic growth and social progress all over the world. It’s an inspiring wake-up call to action and once you’re fired up, longing to find your own power and potential, it gives you a toolkit of information as to how you can begin. Brilliant.”—Sally Field, actress and activist

“What is life without a sense of purpose? Any woman who's asked herself this question must read Fast Forward, filled with inspiring stories of women who’ve achieved power in their own lives and used it to make a difference for others, especially other women and girls.”—Maria Shriver, author and journalist

“Fast Forward gives all of us hope through the inspiring examples of pioneering women in global leadership, public service and the corporate world - a path forged by Melanne Verveer since she helped Hillary Clinton transform the concept of women's rights in Beijing in 1995. Verveer and co-author Kim Azzarelli share their practical experience with new insights in how we can all lean even further forward. A must read for women - and men - who believe strong, educated women and girls are the key to advancing societies.”—Andrea Mitchell, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, NBC News

“The stories of the remarkable women chronicled in Fast Forward are both inspiring and instructive, making it must-read for anyone interested in leading successfully with purpose in the 21st century. Fast Forward is also a reminder that progress and gender parity are inextricably linked and that if we want a society that operates at its best, we have to work for both.”—Ajay Banga, CEO, MasterCard

“The stories in this inspirational book serve as a powerful reminder that, with the right support, women can become an unstoppable force in their communities and economies. It is a rousing call to action for anyone who cares about creating a more equal world. Unleashing the full potential of women is not an option – it is an imperative.”—Cherie Blair, founder, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women

“In Fast Forward, we are reminded why Melanne Verveer and Kim Azzarelli are two leading 'sheroes' of the global women’s movement. The book is chock-full of wise and clever advice for women and men committed to empowering women to reach their full potential. You will be inspired by their profiles of determined women of resilience, grit and passion to change the world. Brava!”—Darren Walker, president, Ford Foundation

“Two organizers of the contemporary global movement for women's rights demonstrate how they build networks and focus activities to create opportunities for women to exercise their rights. Hillary Clinton provides the foreword to this account of building partnerships among government agencies, large and small corporations and foundations, grass-roots organizations, and individual activists. Verveer, who worked with Clinton during her husband's presidential terms, accompanied the then-first lady to the U.N.'s Fourth International Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, which marked a new departure for their ventures. She assisted Clinton and then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in organizing women's leadership and promoting the Vital Voices of Democracy Institute within the State Department. Later, she headed its not-for-profit reincarnation, Vital Voices. The spinoffs of their public and private efforts for women provide the framework for this memoir and handbook. For years, attorney Azzarelli has led campaigns to protect women from violence of all forms, and she co-founded the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell University to help toughen laws, and their enforcement, around the world. Abuse, domestic violence, trafficking, sexual slavery, and genital mutilation are among the issues that they confront. Other leaders—including International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde, Coca-Cola CEO and board chairman Muhtar Kent, and Gates Foundation director Melinda Gates—advocate for the expansion of women's economic activity as a means to dramatically increase new profit sources. Verveer and Azzarelli also reference other corporations as well as local organizations involved with refugees, immigrants, and education aimed at qualifying girls scientifically and technically. The authors also provide useful discussions of research contributions into the benefits derived from increasing diversity at all levels of responsibility. Appendices feature information about relevant international organizations, further research, and a tool kit for moving 'from anecdote to action.' A durable contribution to the continued efforts to effect change for women.”—Kirkus Reviews

“In this empowering work about women’s valuable contributions to the global economy, consulting firm Seneca Point cofounders Verveer (the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues) and Azzarelli (chair of Cornell Law School’s Avon Global Center for Women and Justice) offer a simple three-step template for continued female success: know your power, find your purpose, and connect with others. To show these principles in action, they incorporate the stories of such inspirational women as fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg; designer Donna Karan; Sunitha Krishnan, who founded the Hyderabad-based organization Prajwala to help survivors of sexual exploitation; and Molly Melching, who seeks to curtail female genital mutilation in Africa. 'When women have the support and the opportunity to pursue [entrepreneurship], it’s clear they can put us on track to fast-forward to a world of growth, opportunity, and progress,' they opine. The authors also point out that more women should be encouraged to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. An inspiring foreword by Hillary Clinton bolsters the authors’ message that women, working together, can accomplish anything.”—Publishers Weekly